I saw this when it first aired, and really liked it at the time. Later, I realized that the man wastes fifty years of his life just for the sake of being rich at the end of it.
At the end, when his stuff is being auctioned off, he finds the Troll at the back of the room and offers to buy him a drink. A much younger woman, apparently unable to see the Troll, thinks he is talking to her. After the two leave together, the last shot shows the Troll bidding. The auctioneer can see him from across the room. Why is he bidding if he could have presumably gotten anything from Jonathan's stash for free for 50 years? If he's had cash this whole time, why didn't he share any of it with Jonathan?
Reviews
10 Reviews
I liked this when I saw it, but... SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
27 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
St. Trinian's Girls with the "uh" and the "uh."
2 August 2017
Harry takes Sandy to a St. Trinian's themed dance, where the women are expected to dress like St. Trinian's Girls with the "uh" and the "uh" (that's what everyone keeps saying). Just the "uh" by itself would have been bad enough. But to have the "uh" as well, that's as intolerable as you-know-what.
Jean goes out to dinner with an old boyfriend who she had dated right after the death of her first husband. He had been out of the country for most of the intervening years working for the Foreign Service. He has also married. He doesn't realize quite how many years it has been since he and Jean last spoke. My impression before this episode was that Judith was grown when her father died. Here, we find out she was a little girl. The old flame only knew her as a little girl, and thinks she still is a little girl until Jean corrects him.
Jean goes out to dinner with an old boyfriend who she had dated right after the death of her first husband. He had been out of the country for most of the intervening years working for the Foreign Service. He has also married. He doesn't realize quite how many years it has been since he and Jean last spoke. My impression before this episode was that Judith was grown when her father died. Here, we find out she was a little girl. The old flame only knew her as a little girl, and thinks she still is a little girl until Jean corrects him.
Go Ask Alice
(1973 TV Movie)
Captain Kirk and Andy Taylor, together at last.
11 August 2013
James Tiberius Kirk always has been and always shall be the One True Captain of the United Star Ship Enterprise. Andrew Taylor always has been and always shall be the One True Sheriff of Mayberry, North Carolina.
It doesn't matter if they die, or haven't been born yet, or if the actors who play them die, or get recast. It doesn't even matter if they are fictional characters on fictional TV shows. Andy Taylor was Sheriff of Mayberry before "The Andy Griffith Show" was created, and will be after "The Andy Griffith Show" is forgotten. James Kirk was Captain of the Enterprise before "Star Trek was created, and will be after "Star Trek" and all its spinoffs and movie spinoffs are forgotten.
It doesn't matter if they die, or haven't been born yet, or if the actors who play them die, or get recast. It doesn't even matter if they are fictional characters on fictional TV shows. Andy Taylor was Sheriff of Mayberry before "The Andy Griffith Show" was created, and will be after "The Andy Griffith Show" is forgotten. James Kirk was Captain of the Enterprise before "Star Trek was created, and will be after "Star Trek" and all its spinoffs and movie spinoffs are forgotten.
The Story of Mankind
(1957)
Despite some goofiness, this movie is cool! I want it on DVD!
17 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I can't understand why many seem to hate this.
This movie ties together many of the overlapping settings of the historical and Biblical epics of the fifties, using set pieces, props, and costumes similar to those seen in other movies. Here, however, the story attempts to run through all of human history, with a frame story about the human race being on trial, with a guilty verdict meaning h-bombs will go off all over the world. The prosecutor is the devil, played with fiendish glee by Vincent Price. OK, so it's a little hokey calling the defender "The Spirit of All Men," but I think that's one of the things that gives this movie a sense of period charm. The Spririt of Man is incidentally played quite well by Ronald Coleman, in his last film. It is also the last movie in which Groucho, Harpo, and Chico Marx all appear, but not together. Groucho plays Peiter Minuet buying Manhattan from the Indians, in a scene played purely for campy humor. Chico isn't funny at all as a monk who thinks the world is flat, and Harpo, we are told, is meant to be Isaac Newton, discovering gravity. Most of the other performances are well done, though.
Other hokey things are that the trial is supposedly taking place in outer space, which is depicted as a region of clouds and blueness. There is something called "The Great Clock of Outer Space," which, when striking midnight, may signal the end of the world.
But at its heart, the movie addresses the problems of WMDs and the eternal question of whether Man is basically good, or basically evil; and poses it in what I think is an interesting way. Also, anyone who likes the look of costume epics of the fifties should like the look of this movie.
This movie ties together many of the overlapping settings of the historical and Biblical epics of the fifties, using set pieces, props, and costumes similar to those seen in other movies. Here, however, the story attempts to run through all of human history, with a frame story about the human race being on trial, with a guilty verdict meaning h-bombs will go off all over the world. The prosecutor is the devil, played with fiendish glee by Vincent Price. OK, so it's a little hokey calling the defender "The Spirit of All Men," but I think that's one of the things that gives this movie a sense of period charm. The Spririt of Man is incidentally played quite well by Ronald Coleman, in his last film. It is also the last movie in which Groucho, Harpo, and Chico Marx all appear, but not together. Groucho plays Peiter Minuet buying Manhattan from the Indians, in a scene played purely for campy humor. Chico isn't funny at all as a monk who thinks the world is flat, and Harpo, we are told, is meant to be Isaac Newton, discovering gravity. Most of the other performances are well done, though.
Other hokey things are that the trial is supposedly taking place in outer space, which is depicted as a region of clouds and blueness. There is something called "The Great Clock of Outer Space," which, when striking midnight, may signal the end of the world.
But at its heart, the movie addresses the problems of WMDs and the eternal question of whether Man is basically good, or basically evil; and poses it in what I think is an interesting way. Also, anyone who likes the look of costume epics of the fifties should like the look of this movie.
Mighty Jack
(1968 TV Movie)
I don't remember this episode of MSTK that well.
17 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Contains a spoiler, but for something else.
I do remember in the beginning, TV's Frank introduces the "movie" as, "'Jack,'...'Mighty Jack,' produced by Frank,... Sandy Frank." Then, when the movie started, the bots & host (I forget whether it was Joel or Mike) sang along to the tune of the theme music, when Sandy Frank's name appeared in the credits: "Sandy Frank, Sandy Frank, fun for you and me!" I always thought, since then, this could be changed to a theme song for TV's Frank: "TV's Frank, TV's Frank, fun for you and me!" You know what I mean. But I digress.
From what little I do remember of it, and what I've read here and in the Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Book, it seems to me like it might be a good series if it were shown and either dubbed or subtitled in its entireity. But still, I digress.
The reason I made this review was really to talk about "hot ice," which I don't remember from actually watching the show. As described in the summary here, it sounds like the writers and producers of Mighty Jack simply copied the idea of "ice nine" in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. As to why a form of water that solidifies at room temperature is dangerous is that if it gets into a natural body of water, even a puddle, all of that body's tributaries will freeze, all the ground water surrounding it will freeze, all the bodies to which it is tributary, including all the oceans, will freeze, and then, all the tributaries of all the oceans, every body of water in the world, will freeze, all the rain will turn into sleet upon contact with the hardened ground and water, and hardly any of it will ever melt, except some of it on the hottest days. If you get it in your eyes, nose, or mouth, you are dead.
An artificial iceberg made of such a thing that came into contact with a real ocean would simply have the effect I described above, however, and therefore be pretty pointless. Making "weapons" out of it would be redundant, since it would be possible to destroy the world with just piece the size of a grain of sand.
I don't mean to spread rumors here. I'm not claiming this would ever happen. Luckily, in real life, such a thing could never exist.
I do remember in the beginning, TV's Frank introduces the "movie" as, "'Jack,'...'Mighty Jack,' produced by Frank,... Sandy Frank." Then, when the movie started, the bots & host (I forget whether it was Joel or Mike) sang along to the tune of the theme music, when Sandy Frank's name appeared in the credits: "Sandy Frank, Sandy Frank, fun for you and me!" I always thought, since then, this could be changed to a theme song for TV's Frank: "TV's Frank, TV's Frank, fun for you and me!" You know what I mean. But I digress.
From what little I do remember of it, and what I've read here and in the Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Book, it seems to me like it might be a good series if it were shown and either dubbed or subtitled in its entireity. But still, I digress.
The reason I made this review was really to talk about "hot ice," which I don't remember from actually watching the show. As described in the summary here, it sounds like the writers and producers of Mighty Jack simply copied the idea of "ice nine" in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. As to why a form of water that solidifies at room temperature is dangerous is that if it gets into a natural body of water, even a puddle, all of that body's tributaries will freeze, all the ground water surrounding it will freeze, all the bodies to which it is tributary, including all the oceans, will freeze, and then, all the tributaries of all the oceans, every body of water in the world, will freeze, all the rain will turn into sleet upon contact with the hardened ground and water, and hardly any of it will ever melt, except some of it on the hottest days. If you get it in your eyes, nose, or mouth, you are dead.
An artificial iceberg made of such a thing that came into contact with a real ocean would simply have the effect I described above, however, and therefore be pretty pointless. Making "weapons" out of it would be redundant, since it would be possible to destroy the world with just piece the size of a grain of sand.
I don't mean to spread rumors here. I'm not claiming this would ever happen. Luckily, in real life, such a thing could never exist.
The Legend of Robin Hood
(1975)
So I didn't imagine seeing this?
12 April 2006
I saw this on WTTG Channel 5 in Washington early Saturday mornings in the early '80s. Then it resurfaced on A&E about ten years later. Yes, that was the same actor who played Ford Prefect on TV playing Prince John. Then it disappeared again. The other poster was absolutely right. WHEN WILL WE SEE THIS ON DVD??????!!!!!!! (I'm not allowed to shout in the summary,or I would have).
There was also a King Arthur series made in the UK in the 1970s to which the same thing happened. That one had also appeared on "Once Upon a Classic" on PBS; which was a show like "Masterpeice Theater," but for kids, hosted by Bill Bixby. Another show on "Once Upon a Classic" to appear on Channel 5 in the early '80s was "The Prince and the Pauper," but I don't remember that ever being on A&E. A similar miniseries that appeared on A&E in the early '80s was a live-action, taped (not filmed) version of "Ivanhoe" which I don't remember seeing before or since.
There was also a King Arthur series made in the UK in the 1970s to which the same thing happened. That one had also appeared on "Once Upon a Classic" on PBS; which was a show like "Masterpeice Theater," but for kids, hosted by Bill Bixby. Another show on "Once Upon a Classic" to appear on Channel 5 in the early '80s was "The Prince and the Pauper," but I don't remember that ever being on A&E. A similar miniseries that appeared on A&E in the early '80s was a live-action, taped (not filmed) version of "Ivanhoe" which I don't remember seeing before or since.
Grampa's Sci-Fi Hits
(1989 Video)
Miraculously Shows Trailer from 1981 Flash Gordon
11 February 2006
Even though this listed by the IMDb as having been made in 1965, somehow we are able to see the teaser trailer from the 1981 version of Flash Gordon. Also, the backgrounds look like cheap, 2D CG of the sort that was used in the '80s. WOW! Amazing! Al Lewis, best known for playing Grandpa Munster on the '60s TV show "The Munsters," and its various spin-off movies, is seen here, in various sf and horror settings, introducing trailers from old sf/horror movies (including several for installments of the '30s serial version of "Flash Gordon"), making bad jokes about them, and making disparaging comments to and about his unseen assistant, Igor. While he can be said to be reprising his role from the series, no mention is made of it, and he just calls himself, "Grampa," not "Grampa Munster." They probably couldn't get the rights to mention the show or its characters, but anyone can dress up in a Dracula costume and call themselves "Grampa." This is good campy fun, if you're into that sort of thing. Anyone who likes old sf/horror movies, or watching old trailers, or making fun of them, or going out to the Rocky Horror Show, should probably enjoy this. Though it's not as good as MST3K, or Rocky Horror with an audience. Some of the trailers shown are for movies that were on MST3K. Watch it with someone you love.
As of this writing (February 11, 2006), I saw it a few days ago with a crowd of those able to appreciate it at the Washington Psychotronic Film Society, and that was also where and how I learned of Lewis' recent death.
As of this writing (February 11, 2006), I saw it a few days ago with a crowd of those able to appreciate it at the Washington Psychotronic Film Society, and that was also where and how I learned of Lewis' recent death.
Fahrenheit 9/11
(2004)
More upsetting than "The Passion" by far.
1 July 2004
I saw both "The Passion of the Christ" (on Good Friday) and "Fahrenheit 9/11" in the theaters. I found the gore of "The Passion" more tedious than upsetting; I think maybe some of the people who went to see it repeatedly, probably were not used to movies with graphic violence. And I already pretty much knew what was going to happen. Moore's film shows things to be much worse than I thought they were. A lot of people like to engage in name-calling against him, but I have never heard anyone provide any rational arguments that show his facts are wrong. Show me exactly where and how he is wrong, and I might just get behind you in not liking him. His interpretation of some of his facts may be in question, however. Sometimes, I want to say, "Aw come on" when he says something. Not this time, though.
Also, one might be able to argue that he exploits bad situations by making himself a spectacle, jeering and shoving cameras in the faces of people going about their business. I think if he didn't ask some of the questions he asks people, they would never get asked. Not in the public eye, anyway. His act gives the audience something to focus on, whether they like him or not. This makes him more recognizable, and helps his films get made and marketed. And again, his films must get out there because they pose questions that wouldn't get asked and must be asked. I think "The Passion" is relevant partly because this was another movie that many objected to being shown and that many who defended it probably will not be so willing to defend "Fahrenheit 9/11." I also think that Bush and his cohorts are people willing to lie, cheat, steal and kill to get their own way because they believe that God is on their side and that "The Passion" to them, is a reminder of their justification and that many who saw that have supported Bush on the grounds that he has convinced people (including himself) that he is a deeply spiritual man. Although I think that anyone who would continue to support Bush must really hate America, or be lacking in intelligence, or have some sort of mental illness. The last seems most likely. People are still refusing to acknowledge the truth in a way that borders on pathology.
I would ask these people one question: What would Bush still have to become a bad president, if he is not one already?
Also, one might be able to argue that he exploits bad situations by making himself a spectacle, jeering and shoving cameras in the faces of people going about their business. I think if he didn't ask some of the questions he asks people, they would never get asked. Not in the public eye, anyway. His act gives the audience something to focus on, whether they like him or not. This makes him more recognizable, and helps his films get made and marketed. And again, his films must get out there because they pose questions that wouldn't get asked and must be asked. I think "The Passion" is relevant partly because this was another movie that many objected to being shown and that many who defended it probably will not be so willing to defend "Fahrenheit 9/11." I also think that Bush and his cohorts are people willing to lie, cheat, steal and kill to get their own way because they believe that God is on their side and that "The Passion" to them, is a reminder of their justification and that many who saw that have supported Bush on the grounds that he has convinced people (including himself) that he is a deeply spiritual man. Although I think that anyone who would continue to support Bush must really hate America, or be lacking in intelligence, or have some sort of mental illness. The last seems most likely. People are still refusing to acknowledge the truth in a way that borders on pathology.
I would ask these people one question: What would Bush still have to become a bad president, if he is not one already?
The Jim Henson Hour
(1987–1992)
So I'm not the Only One who Was Watching?
14 July 2003
It does my heart good to see that other people remember this series. I remember watching it on NBC and thinking it was the dawn of a new era of Muppet creativity on broadcast television. Then it was canceled. Then Jim Henson died, and a substantial part of my childhood went with him. Actually, I think the show was probably a summer replacement. But still, I was disappointed to see it go. "The Storyteller" segments came back, and are now available on DVD. I'd like to see the segments with Kermit again, and the new characters that didn't last.
Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1994)
One of the most overrated films ever made!
22 July 2001
Warning: Spoilers
This inexplicably popular piece of trite, self-indulgent garbage made the slimy Hugh Grant equally inexplicably popular. In a group of shallow characters he stars as King Shallow. Really, I found myself wondering half-way through the movie if I had anything in common with or even cared about any of these people and if indeed, I wanted to. King Shallow and his shallow friends go from one event to another, talk about things, he has a one night stand with Andie MacDowell, then a few months later she gets engaged to somebody else, he gets engaged to somebody else, then finds out she dropped her engagement and we're supposed to care whether they get together at the end. The only reason I went to see this movie in the first place is that Rowan Atkinson is billed as one of the stars. In fact, he only appears in two scenes. In one, apparently meant to be funny, he is the vicar performing one of the weddings of the title, and he uses the wrong words. I don't get it. We're told its his first wedding. Doesn't everybody know the standard vows of a wedding ceremony? The title is even misleading; there are only three weddings, a fourth winds up being aborted. The funeral of the title is that of the movie's only vaguely likeable character, who is also a complete jerk. Just before his death, he was making fun of Scottish dancing while attending a party in Scotland. A few minutes before that he was making fun of some Americans' ignorance of Britain. Gee, I've never seen that before in a British movie! How original! The high number of people who claim to like this movie must have seen a different one from me.
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